The American flamingo is now the official bird of Miami-Dade County, after commissioners approved the legislation on Tuesday.
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“The American Flamingo has become one of the most recognizable symbols of Miami-Dade County, appearing in art, tourism, branding, and popular culture for decades,” the office of sponsoring Commissioner Natalie Milian Orbis said in a news release. “By making it the official bird of Miami-Dade County, we are recognizing a species that has long been part of our story while celebrating a symbol that people across the globe immediately associate with Miami.”
Are flamingos native to Florida?
Yes! But flamingos have not nested or existed in significant, wild populations in South Florida for more than a century, since they were nearly wiped out during the 19th century plume trade.
Which is why wildlife experts and researchers were so excited when in 2023, birds likely from the Caribbean and Yucatán, where they are also native, rode the winds of Hurricane Idalia to land back in South Florida—and stayed.
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Is this related to the push to make flamingos the state bird?
Flamingos are a cultural icon. Their funny physiques are all over maps and tourism promotions of Florida, and many think it’s the state bird. It’s not, it’s the mockingbird.
But longtime conservationist and former spokesperson for Zoo Miami Ron Magill has been pushing to change that, arguing that beyond being an economic driver for the state, making the flamingo the official bird of Florida would bring environmental protections along with the fancy title.
“It represents how nature can come back, can reclaim itself, when given then opportunity,” Magill said before the Miami-Dade commission on Tuesday. “If Florida wants to celebrate its great natural heritage, I can think of no better ambassador than the greater flamingo.”
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